Exemplary embodiments of this invention generally relate to bearings and, more particularly, to mounting a spherical bearing in a bearing assembly for use in aerospace applications.
Conventional spherical bearings include a ball-like inner member having a convex outer surface. These bearings also include an outer member having a concave inner surface complementary to the convex outer surface of the inner member. Spherical bearings are commonly used in the aircraft industry, as well as in linkages and actuators because they are “self-aligning.” In many of these applications, the spherical bearing is commonly swaged, bonded, peened, staked, or press-fit into a housing, such as a rod end for example, making the bearing difficult to remove and maintain. To facilitate this installation process, a suitable profile is machined into either the surface of the outer member or the housing. Such an installation process is both costly and time consuming.
In addition, conventional spherical bearing configurations are inadequate when used in high frequency load reversing applications. High frequency cyclical loading causes fretting between the outer member and the mounting or housing, and ultimately leads to metal fatigue. Similarly, crevice corrosion may occur in the clearance between the outer member and the mounting. Also, the positional accuracy of the bearing decreases due to the concentric misalignment of the outer member within the hole in the housing.